Fresh Friday: Fresh-Dill Basmati Rice with Stil-fry Greens and Chickpeas

Follow along with me on my resolution to eat not just locally, but seasonally in San Francisco.  Fresh Friday!

This recipe was a little longer and more detailed (read complicated) than I would normally have time for on a weekday dinner, but I made it on a day off, so I had time to prep everything before hand, and start it before my husband came home from work. I omitted the masala, because I didn't have any,used quick-cooking brown basmati rice, used leaks instead of shallots, and added three or four small bunches (heads?) of bok choy along with the stir-fry greens. It was delicious, and the lemon makes it really fresh and light.  It wasn't hearty enough to be a meal, but could a good side to a lemon chicken I think. 

Fresh-Dill Basmati Rice with Stir-fry Greens and Chickpeas

2 cups basmati rice
1 pound stir-fry greens, washed and thick stems removed
2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 shallots, minced
1 small onion, diced
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 bunch fresh dill, large stems removed, chopped finely (about 3/4 cup)
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups water or vegetable stock
1-2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
Freshly ground pepper
Pinch of cayenne
Juice of 1 lemon
1 lemon, sliced into wedges (optional)

In a medium-size bowl, rinse the basmati rice with a few changes of water, then cover with at least 2 inches of water. Set aside while preparing the other ingredients, allowing the rice to soak in the water for at least 20 minutes. When ready to use, carefully drain the rice with a fine-mesh strainer.

Steam the greens either in a steamer or a large, covered pot filled with about 2 inches of boiling water. When the greens are limp and bright green, transfer them to a bowl to cool and squeeze as much water as possible from it.  Roll tightly into bunches and chop finely.

In a large, heavy-bottomed 4-quart pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, fry for 15 seconds, then add the shallots and onion. Sprinkle with the garam masala and sauté the mixture until the onions and shallots are soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the drained rice, folding to coat the grains with spiced oil mixture. Add the chopped dill, winter greens, chickpeas, vegetable stock (or water), salt, lemon zest, pepper, and cayenne. Cover and increase the heat to medium-low and tightly cover. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and rice is fluffy, watching carefully to make sure it doesn’t burn.

Remove from the heat, sprinkle with the lemon juice, fluff the rice with a fork, and cover again. Allow to sit another 10 minutes before serving with lemon wedges.

From Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero